Mercedes: Will Kimi Antonelli Be the Lead Driver? Toto Wolff Speaks Clearly

The victory in Belgium reaffirmed Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s lead; he now holds a commanding lead in the Formula 1 standings, with a 45-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and a 50-point lead over his teammate George Russell. This clear gap is raising the first questions about possible team orders that Mercedes might soon implement to favor its top driver in the title race.

It would be a true coronation of Kimi Antonelli as the Silver Arrows’ lead driver: Team Principal Toto Wolff responded clearly on this point during a press conference. “After our experience in Barcelona, the goal we’ve set for ourselves is not to waste time on internal matters. Since that Grand Prix, we’ve decided that we will always prioritize winning the race, no matter what.”

“This is as much a Constructors’ Championship as it is a Drivers’ Championship. We would never take a victory away from any of the drivers. So, if George were in the lead—even if he’s behind in the championship at this stage of the season—we wouldn’t hold him back to let Kimi pass.”

In terms of records, the victory in Belgium took on a particularly significant historical meaning for Italian motorsports. Antonelli became the first Italian driver to win at Spa in 73 years: the last to do so was Alberto Ascari in 1953. With his sixth win of the season, the 19-year-old also tied the record for most wins in a single season, held by Ascari himself in 1952, while simultaneously climbing the all-time Formula 1 winners’ list to 46th place overall, joining a legend like Gilles Villeneuve with six career wins. He is now the second-most successful Italian driver of all time, trailing only Ascari, who has thirteen wins.